Auxiliary table top



NOV. 7, 1950 E, A, SHERMAN 2,529,051

AUXILIARY TABLE TOP Filed March 21, 1947 @RMU-)ww Patented Nov. 7, 1,950

UNITED STATES 'PATENTf-- OFFICE] `5 l 2,529,051 f Y L AUXILIARY TABLETOP Edward A. Sherman, Washington, D. C.

Application March 21, 1947, Serial No. 736,327

2 Claims.

This invention relates to table top enlargements and more particularlyto that type whereby a supplemental table top, larger than the original,may be secured to the original top. One object of this invention is toprovide an enlarged and supplemental table top designed to be readilysecured to and equally readily detached from a smaller table top.

Another object of this invention is to provide an enlarged table top,made of two independent sections, designed to be readily secured to andequally readily detached from the top of a conventional extensibletable. f

A still further object of this invention resides in a means for securingthe enlarged top or its sections to the original and smaller table topwhereby the surface nish of the latter will not in any way be marred bythe securing means or the supplemental top itself.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readilyoomprehended fromY the following description of this device given inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a topview of the supplemental table top attached to the original and smallertable top with a central cut-away portion revealing the securing meansof the supplemental table top.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the supplemental table topattached` to the original and smaller table top along the line 2 2 ofFig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial view, similar to that shown in Fig. 2,showing in detail the means for securing the supplemental top to theoriginal table and showing the two halves of the top still slightlyseparated.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective.

Similar reference numbers refer to similar parts throughout the severaldrawings,

The original and smaller table top, upon which the supplemental top maybe secured, is of the conventional type of extensible table wherein itstwo sections may be separated so as to insert, according to the usualmethod employed at present, a board or table top section for enlargingthe top. However, according to the present invention, instead ofinserting an enlarging section in the opening between the two tablehalves, an entirely new and larger top is placed upon the table andsecured thereto by employment of this transverse slidability existingbetween the two halves of the original table top.

The supplemental table top of this invention consists of two separateand independent halves intended, when properly mounted upon aconventional extensible table, to come together along 2 edges 21, thisengagement being located along a middle line of the original table, toform a complete and new tabletop covering the entire top of the originaltable and extending beyond its original limits toform an enlarged topfor said table as shown in Fig. 1, reference characters 2|A and 3Ddesignating the two independent halves.

These halves, 2| and 30, of the supplemental table top are substantiallyidentical in every'revspect except along engaging edges 21, where onehalf., 2|, has dowel pins 23 protruding therefrom at suitable intervals,while they corresponding edge of the other half, 30, has dowel pinsockets 3| therein, properly arranged toreceive dowel pins 23 when thesetwo edges are brought engagement.

The two supplemental table top halves are in every other respectidentical, each consisting of: a flat table top portion 22, shown as ahalf oval in Fig. 1 as one suitable design; a depending decorative skirt21; a suitable pad on the under surface of portion 22 tol prevent itsmarring the nish of the original table top upon which Ait rests, shownin Figs. 1, 2, and 3 in one possible form of several relatively smallpads 26 madeV preferably of felt or other suitable material; and cleat2U depending along the engaging edge, centrally located there along, butneed not be coextensive therewith.

`Cleat 20, having clamping or gripping springs 25 attached to it, andhaving slot 24 substantially coextensive with itself, affords the meanswhereby the'supplemental table top is attached to'the original table.Springs 25 extend beyond the edge of section 20 inthe direction awayfrom engaging edge 21 such that when the table top half is aiixed to theoriginal top IVI, these springs will pass under and clamp upon it asshowniin Fig. 3. In addition, to avoid interference from dowel pins I4,which may be present in the origi- 'nal table top, when section 20 isbrought into contact With edge 4| of table top Il, slot 24 is formed inthis section to receive those pins.

Thus, in the attachment of the supplemental top, the two halves of theoriginal table are pulled apart. Each supplemental table top half isthen placed upon each half of the original table top such that portions20 will lie in the opening between the two original table halves ascreated by their separation, table top portions 22 resting on portionsof the original table, pads 26 being interposed between these twosurfaces. These supplemental table top halves are then positioned sothat sections or cleats 20 abut table top halves Il along edges 4|,while clamping springs 25 en into' 4edges 21 of the two supplementalhalves come together, dowel pins 23 of half 2l entering their respectivesockets 3| of supplemental half 3l);`V

Fig. 2 shows a cross section of the table suppliedk with thesupplemental table top in its final assembled state.

The removal of the supplemental tabletop is 4 As a result each half maybe placed over either end or either half of the original table.

Iclaim:

1. In combination, an extensible table and a removable enlarged tabletop therefor, said removable top consisting of two substantiallyduplicate halves, each comprising a main body por-l tion constitutingthe enlarged table top and an elongated rigid anchoring strip integralalong its length with the underside of said bodyfportion and -adjacentone edge thereof, said strips entering between and abutting theseparable edges of said extensible table top, resilient gripping meansaccomplished by reversing, step by step, the above described process forsecuring it to the original table.

Although shown. inthe drawings of thisdisolosure as a substantially ovalsupplemental table top attached to an essentially rectangular original`top, it is -apparent that either the original or thesupplemental topYmay be made in any desired shape. .It is also obvious thatv thisinvention is applicable to a great variety of sizes, the only limitationbeing that the overhang of thesupplemental top beyond the original topis inherently limited byl the loss of stability when the edgeof a irtheir supplemental tops may then be brought together andl positioned sothat `the dowel pins of one, half will .enter the dowel pin sockets of'the other to form a singleY large table top. Stillffurthenthesupplemental top may be. designedto beV of only one section for the=purpose oi enlarging smaller tab-les such as bridge or end tables orfor applying amore decorative top thereto. For

' said" purpose, the cleat 2li` isplaced inwardly of the vedge of thesupplemental top so that it will, when: attached to fa'small table, restuniformly thereon. whilel the depending skirt 21; is Yextendedtofa'll-.edgesof the top affording it symmetry;

Y The structure of the supplemental tops 3U together with the cleats`2l) and the resilient grippingv elements 25 are duplicates of eachother.

carried by the underside of the anchoring strip for engaging the. lowerface of the extensible table top and for holding the removable table topin temporary but Y i-lrm assembly therewith, each of said-anchoringstrips having a groove substantiallyV coextensive with it for receivingdowel pins projecting from said extensible table, and one of saidremovabletop halvesV having dowel pins eX- tending Yfrom the edgeadjacent Vsaid strip, the otherhalf hav-ing suitable sockets forreceiving said pins along its corresponding edge.

v2. An yenlarged table top for temporary attachment to a smallerextensible table top, consisting of two substantially duplicate halves,each comprising a main bodyv constituting the enlarged top and anelongated rigidl anchoring strip integral along its length with theunderside of said- ,maina body adjacent one edge lthereof for enter-ying `the opening between' theha'lves of the extensible table top andabutting the separable edges of said extensibletable top,Y resilientgripping means carried by the underside of the anchoring strip forengaging the lower face of the extensibletable top and for holding theremovable table top in temporary' but rm assembly therewith, each ofY said strips having a groove substantially coextensive with it forreceivingA dowel Vpins projecting from Ysaid extensible table, and yoneof said removable top halves having dowel pins extending from the edgeadjacent said anchoring strip, the otherv half having suitable socketsfor f receivingsaid pins along its corresponding' edge;

' EDWARD A. SHERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The Afollowing references'are of record in theviile'ofv this patent:V

Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,203,752 LeClairel Nov. 7, .1916

